I hate starting at 5:30am and working till 7:30pm. Have a week of this every month, its a pain. Sadly however we need the money.

Watched part two and three of Torchwood. Seem very dark with lots of moral ambiguities (kind of normal for Torchwood). Rather addictive though, a lot more "meat" than Startrek.

Sitting here with Piper watching the netball, wondering how the hell these women get to leap and throw themselves all over the court and still manage to keep their skirts down.

Bedtime soon. Don't get to do much on these days.

* * "Hairy Monster" - Soft, gentle and caring * *

Sam's birthday today. So most of it was spent running round doing ten year old birthday stuff. Piper is not in a good place. Mind you she hasn't been for some time, gets draining at times.

Saw Ice Age 3 (like I said, ten year old birthday). Was rather disappointed, enjoyable but kind of flat. Then again it is a kids movie. Got home and watch the first part of the new Torchwood series. Dark and with heavy moral ambiguities, will be interesting to see the rest.

Well start work at 5:30 so off to bed now

* * "Gabrielle" - Girly, confident and fun * *

Been a long time since I've posted (say that a lot lately). Time to fix that (say that a lot too). Well an update is probably in order.

Lets see... We've managed to get through ten seasons of Stargate SG-1, 5 Seasons of Stargate Atlantis, three Stargate movies. We're now into season five of Startrek Voyager (and one of Enterprise). Yes Piper and I desperately need to get a life. The house is still standing, sometimes I'm not entirely sure how. We seem to have made very little progress, but at least we're still here.

Piper and I have a "ball" to attend in a few weeks, though I thinik it will just be a well dressed disco. I managed to pick up a tux for $100 which I think is quite a score.

Yeah this isn't deep and meaningful, just light and fluffy. Expect I'll get round to the deep meaningfuls sometime, but whats the hurry.

* * "Early" - Sweet, romantic and loving * *

Well been a productive weekend in a destructive sort of way. Yesterday the boys and I made five new roof trusses for the garage. No mean feat given that I had no idea at all how to make them. They even look like real ones. Then today we ripped the roofing iron off the garage (you might get some idea what the ultimate goal of all this is). All done despite the fact that the roof was falling in and several decades (at least) old. Didn't have time to start the rebuilding process, but that's something for next weekend.

Kids are driving me insane. Came into the kitchen to find it covered in food scraps. Piper thinks I'm angry at her. I'm not, just frustrated at the mess in the kitchen (virtually the only form of mess that will really upset me).

Oh well time to feed the kids.

* * "Gabrielle" - Girly, confident and fun * *

My daughter RE LOVES the Twilight books by Stephanie Mayers. Nothing too odd about that; apparently a lot of teenage girls do (a very large number by all accounts) and hey if it gets her reading words on dead trees who am I to complain. Piper also is rather "taken" with the books. Again apparently not too uncommon, the books are also popular with more than a few mothers of said teenage girls (I won't mention how many times both of them have read the books).

So tonight I did my father/husbandly duty and went off to see the Twilight movie with them. Now I have to admit it wasn't really my thing, but hey I'm a husband/father, these things are expected and well it wasn't as bad a taking KS to the rugby in the snow. However both RE and Piper are utterly devastated. It would appear that the movie did not exactly live up to their expectations and the book is just SO MUCH better. So Piper has profusely apologised to me several times for making me "endure" through it. Odd, sure not a film I'd have gone to see normally but it wasn't that bad, a little slow but pleasant enough as teen angst romance goes.

Quietly chuckling inside.

* * "Gabrielle" - Girly, confident and fun * *

One should never order from a menu in a foreign language without first getting an explanation...

A few weeks ago, my parents told me that they "weren't doing Christmas" and "we should make our own arrangements". I knew full well this was a lie, but hey what the hell, I've come to expect nothing from them. Anyway yesterday when talking to bumponalog I found out that they'd invited her and KS to Christmas. Inviting Bump I couldn't care less about, who my parents want at Christmas is their own affair. But to go behind my back and invite my son, deliberately forcing him to choose sides was so far out of line I had to do something. I phoned my parents to find out what was going on. Long story short: we could go to Christmas but there would be no presents for Piper's children. This was no invite, you do not take a nine year old to Christmas knowing he won't get a present and my parents know I wouldn't do that. Clearly we weren't welcome.

But anyway back to the story, so Piper and I were hurt and upset yesterday. We were also (due to Piper's Mum agreeing to babysit) kid free. So we decided to go out for dinner to "cheer up", We went to St Germain, a French restaurant we've been to before and really like (excellent service, good food, reasonable prices as French restaurants go). It was good, Piper and I talked and watched all the people. I got to feel superior because I was the only man there wearing both a jacket (one that wasn't made of shiny polyester at least) and tie. And Piper likewise was the best dressed there.

Anyway we ordered. Piper ordered the Lamb (at my suggestion) and I ordered the "Bouride" (not too sure of the spelling). I didn't know exactly what it was, but with my schoolboy French I assumed it was something with meat, probably beef. So Piper and I sat and talked, had our onion soup (too die for), snails (a bit sluggish on taste) and drank wonderful wine. Then the mains arrived. Piper's was a sort of lamb stew in red wine. Mine however was a seafood soup platter. A slight problem as I'm allergic to seafood. The lesson of all this, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing and when in doubt, ask.

* * "Gabrielle" - Girly, confident and fun * *

(addenda: Got a phone call from my Father this morning. To quote "I was mistaken, there are presents for the boys". My father does not make that kind of mistake. I have no idea what's going on, and I really don't care. It has changed nothing, we are still not welcome and I have no intention of ever seeing my family again).

Families are apparently supposed to be loving, caring and at least somewhat supportive. Ours is simply full of evil clowns

* * "Shiva" - Don't * *

I don't get to see my parents or family much. This is by choice. When I separated from bumpononalog I got just one phone call from any of them asking how I was or if I needed anything; from my sister; and even then the actual reason for the call was to arrange something else. I have never had any help or support from them. They usually actually undermine and try to change my choices and life. We won't go into the whole childhood shit either. There's never (or at least very rarely) anything overt but a constant discreet snipping and niggling. I hate seeing my family and frankly the less I have to do with them the better. I expect nothing from my family and receive it in abundance.

But people keep saying I should see them (no not just Piper, she's actually the person who most understands all this shit), that my mother wants to see me. So like the dutiful son I dropped round today, had to see what they were doing for Christmas. Well managed to leave with the very clear knowledge that I should spend Christmas with my "own family" (translation the family I have made, not the one I was born to). I expected no less in truth, I had hoped I'd be wrong, but its not a surprise.

But still it stings and leaves me feeling hurt. So once again, when its suggested I need to see my family; they know my number.

* * "Gabrielle" - Girly, confident and fun * *

Today is New Zealand Cup Day, when people here in Christchurch dress up in their finest and go to the races and get plastered. Nothing says more than seeing elegant young women dressed up to the nines squatting down and pissing in the street.

* * "Violet" - No silly line * *

Seems I haven't got around to to posting for some considerable time. Much has happened, life is extremely stressful. Piper is dealing with much shit and so far unable to find a job. The kids have had moments (a lot of moments in truth) of being shits. Not too sure where to start. But I'll try to get a better "state of play" post soon.

* * "Nicole" - Exploring and seeing * *

Things I have learnt today

• Honey roasted cashew nuts are just plain wrong
• Jumping back into Stargate SG-1 after missing some five seasons is not a good idea
• The sky really is falling for Piper and there's nothing I can do about it

* * "Emerald" - Dealing with life * *

Today has sucked, KS has been here and these weekends often do now. Everybody has been either grumpy or fighting, mostly both. I seem to spend all my time trying to just keep the peace. Its draining, but then again its what I've always done.

* * "Emerald" - Dealing with life * *

Well actually we went, after MANY, MANY, MANY dramas (tickets, the HUGE saga of Piper's dress, babysitters etc). All I can say is I'm damn glad we didn't pay for the tickets. Yes it was good fun. Getting dressed up in a tux, Piper in a ball gown, dinner out, being around a lot of other people dressed up etc. But it wasn't $240 worth of fun. The ball itself turned out to be a glorified disco with huge quantities of free booze and virtually no food (with predictable results, nothing is quite as tragic as well dressed middle aged women throwing their rings up). The music was all recycled 70's and 80's pop (low point was probably the theme from the Love Boat).

Somehow spending all that time learning to actually dance seems kind of pointless, doubtless there will be other "proper" balls, and maybe other eartz balls and we'll get to use it eventually. And yes it was a fun night out, just a tad disappointing.

* * "Hairy Monster" - Soft, gentle and caring * *

Okay so I have a couple of new friends alexandru_rosen and wilonadolginoff. This is way cool, I like having people friend me. What is confusing is they are both Russian (well I assume they are, can't read cyrllic). Why am I so interesting to Russians? Still cool though, hi guys.

Anyway on to life. Yesterday Piper and I did the shopping (okay I know this doesn't sound like thrilling blogable stuff, but stay with me). So while we are going through the checkouts I go wander and look at the community bulletin board they have there, you know where you get ads for baby sitters, want to buy a high chair, firewood for sale etc. And there in the middle of all this stuff is "Masochist seeking relief. Rachel phone xxxxxx". I struggled to avoid bursting into hysterics and brought Piper over to see it. It took her a couple of takes to actually see what was written (she first thought it was a "machinist seeking relief"). So then the slightly stunned Piper took said ad to the service desk and struck a slight problem. The young girl there had no idea what a masochist is. By now I was REALLY fighting to keep a straight face as poor Piper struggled to explain to the girl what the ad meant. Well I guess it makes a change from all the ads for cosmetics and firewood.

* * "Gabrielle" - Girly, confident and fun * *

Well I have a job interview for a new job this weekend. This is a good thing.
The job is in Blenheim. This is an interesting thing.
The is a HUGE storm lashing the South Island. This is an annoying thing.
Said storm has closed State Highway one all the way between Woodend and Blenheim (this is like 500km) and I can not get to said interview. This is a bad thing.
On the bright side, nobody I know's house has yet disappeared under the water (yet). This is a good thing.
We all know how to swim. This may be an essential thing.

* * "Gabrielle" - Girly, confident and fun * *

Have lerge, am dying, send flowers.

Piper apparently has "issues" with my choice of music.

* * "Early" - Sweet, romantic and loving * *

I'm sure I've made this post once before...

How comes whenever I'm upset or angry or hurt it always ends up being me who's in the wrong and feeling guilty. Why is it always my fault.

* * "Gabrielle" - Girly, confident and fun * *

Things end, life changes, times move on. Doesn't change or belittle what was, but its a fact of Our life that We are constantly in motion. We lost a friend today. It is a pity but then again, times change and after all its Our life to live, nobody else has a right to get a say in it.

* * "Elizabeth" - You'd never notice * *

Our first skiing trip today, Our legs are so sore, We're horribly out of shape it would seem. Oh well onwards and upwards as they say. It was one of those glorious days on the mountain. The weather fluctuated from brilliantly fine with stunning views, to fog as clouds rolled over Us, to light falling snow. The silence as you ride the T-bar something We treasure.

The kids are starting to get pretty good at the whole sliding down mountains bit: KS can almost turn though he seems to insist on snowboarding backwards; NK is a bit further on, but he doesn't really fit his board any more (and $500 for a new one is just not in the budget); RE is going great, she's up on the upper slopes and handling intermediate slopes, now if she could only learn to stop; ST is pretty good too, just needs to learn to turn rather than blat straight out like a demented grim reaper charging down the slopes. Oh well...

Had invited friends but they couldn't make it. Pity but planning the next trip for soon, so maybe next time.

* * "Early" - Sweet, romantic and loving * *